Stories

Since the mid-1930s, the bar inside 136 E. Jefferson Ave. has served as a gathering place for many western Routt County residents. Throngs of men and women in their 20s brushed shoulders and swapped countless stories in the venue years ago when business there was more frequent and parties inside more common, according to longtime patrons.

Casey Kilpatrick didn’t grow up on the golf course and doesn’t compete in the championship flight of any tournament at Yampa Valley Golf Course.
Kilpatrick, a born and raised Craig resident, probably ranks among the more casual players in a game that requires life-long dedication to rise to the top.
But, it’s Kilpatrick’s passion for the game of golf that gave him the edge for the Moffat County High School boys varsity golf head coach position when long-time coach Ken Harjes retired after the 2011 season.
And, MCHS athletic director Jeff Simon said it was Kilpatrick’s vision for the program that led him to offer Kilpatrick the position.

A new allegation has been made against a former Craig Police Department officer who was fired Dec. 16, authorities reported today.
Jeremy Ashton, a Moffat County Sheriff’s Office investigator, said an anonymous person reported to investigators that Frank Schmedeke, 37, engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor in the late 1990s in Mesa County.
Craig Daily Press policy is to withhold names of suspects connected to sexual-related offenses unless there is a conviction. The suspect’s name is being used today because he served as a police officer for eight years.

White, a Hayden Republican, was appointed a year ago to fill the vacancy left by her husband's departure. Baumgardner, the House District 57 Republican representative, was left with few other options after redistricting.

With only a few more shopping days until Christmas, there’s precious little time to waste to make your holiday the best it can be for you and yours.
With the holiday falling on the weekend this year, it shouldn’t upset your schedule too much to spend Dec. 24 and 25 at home.
But before you settle in for the family togetherness, there are still some fun activities leading up to the big day to bring your spirit to its peak.

Slowly but steadily, Tanner Hampton’s mousetrap car crept away from the starting line Tuesday morning.
His car didn’t make it to the other end of the Craig Middle School gym, where he and other eighth-graders participated in the 15th annual mousetrap car rally.
But, the 12 hours he spent on the project was far from a loss. If nothing else, it helped him understand how some of the simplest machines work.
“I learned how friction has a lot to do with how things move and operate,” he said, examining his car after its run across the polished hardwood.

The Craig Veterans TeleHealth Clinic, 785 Russell St., will host an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday.
Paul Sweeney, chief of customer relations for the VA Medical Center in Grand Junction, said the event is intended to not only inform local veterans of the services available, but to also boost patient numbers.
“We’re losing our World War II veterans at a rapid rate, and our Vietnam veterans are not enrolling in the program like they should,” Sweeney said. “This open house is another way to open up our doors, let people know we’re there and to try to get vets to come in and see us, and show them this is a viable health care plan.”

Jerry Martin, a native of La Grange, Ill., and Craig Daily Press copy editor, has been promoted to news editor, the newspaper announced Tuesday.
Martin, 27, has worked at the Daily Press since March 2010. As copy editor, he was tasked with editing content for print and online and was the newspaper’s primary page designer.
His design skills have been recognized by the Colorado Press Association, which named him Best of Show award winner in 2010 for his design of a Moffat Monthly cover.

For goaltender Trent Parrott, being in the crease means seeing a lot of pucks come flying from all angles in any given game.
A trio of matches over the weekend left the Moffat County High School junior doing all he could to keep his net protected from a pair of teams that would not relent.
The Moffat County Bulldogs club hockey team fell in each of its three weekend games. Glenwood Springs and Crested Butte defeated the team in two Saturday matches, and the Bulldogs again lost to Crested Butte on Sunday.
The weekend started positively Saturday afternoon, when senior Alfredo Lebron scored the first goal of the game with an assist from sophomore Cade Bangs a minute into the second period.

The Moffat County Commission certified 2012 mill levies Tuesday for the county and its taxing districts.
Tinneal Gerber, Moffat County budget analyst, said the total voter approved levy for the county is 20.872 mills, which the commission can appropriate as it sees fit.
Last year, the majority of the levy, 19.948 mills, went to the county’s general fund.
But, for the first time since 2000, a bulk of the county’s levy — 12.4 mills — will be appropriated to the road and bridge department to help pay for road projects in 2012.

Jake Blevins was handed a tall order this season as the only senior on the Moffat County High School wrestling team.
After last season’s squad included five seniors, Blevins is one of only a handful of returning wrestlers this year.
But, his performance Friday and Saturday in the Warrior Classic at Colorado Mesa University can go a long way to helping develop the young team, coach Roman Gutierrez said.
Blevins was the only Bulldog to place in the 32-team tournament, finishing in sixth place with a record of 3-3 in the 160-pound weight class.

(AP) — A year ago, John Elway agreed to another comeback with his beloved Denver Broncos shortly after the ouster of Josh McDaniels, whom many felt had doomed the franchise to mediocrity for years to come.
The Hall of Famer has pulled all the right strings in rapidly reversing the team's fortunes.
And for all those fans worried that the Broncos' boss isn't completely sold on Tim Tebow and might put the unorthodox quarterback on the trading block this winter, relax. Elway said the city's new comeback king is here to stay.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Elway gave his strongest indication yet that he believes Tebow can morph from a scrambling quarterback into a pocket passer, which suggests he won't be spending a high draft pick on another QB in April.

To the editor:
Words cannot express the gratitude we have for everyone’s acts of kindness, support and donations after the loss of a wonderful man.
It took a lot of weight off our shoulders and showed us what great friends and family we have here.

In a perfect world, three local nonprofit groups in Craig and Moffat County would have a breakdown of responsibilities and functions as follows:
• Craig Chamber of Commerce — promote and service existing businesses.
• Moffat County Tourism Association — publicize and fund community events and attempt to draw out-of-town visitors.
• Craig/Moffat Economic Development Partnership — assist current businesses and recruit new ones.
All three of these groups do a commendable job serving the community in a variety of ways. Let the Craig Daily Press today applaud the agencies, their employees, board members and volunteers for their efforts.

10:30 a.m. Wellness Wednesday takes place at The Journey at First Baptist, 1150 W. Ninth St. The event includes senior wellness and foot checks and Colorado Northwestern Community College classes. Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. and costs $3. Call 871-7676.
5:30 p.m. A meeting for women only of the Craig Group One Alcoholics Anonymous takes place at First Congregational Church, 630 Green St. Call Penny at 824-1793.

Connections 4 Kids, the early childhood council of Moffat and Rio Blanco counties, is seeking contributions from youths for its upcoming “Cherish the Little Things” art show.
Entries from youths 3 to 18 throughout Moffat and Rio Blanco counties will be displayed during the show, which is scheduled for Feb. 11 at The Center of Craig, 601 Yampa Ave., during downtown Craig’s annual Art Walk.
Selected art pieces will be auctioned and voted on for inclusion in Connections 4 Kids’ 2013 calendar. The event is a fundraiser for Connections 4 Kids and its projects, the agency reported in a news release.

To the editor:
This year, the Haven Assisted Living Residence in Hayden is thrilled to be the recipient of many pounds of meat from 4-H Livestock Sale Buyers.
This very generous donation included six lambs, two hogs, and two beef.
Many of our residents of the Haven have lived in Northwest Colorado for a very long time and have strong family histories in ranching and agriculture. And, they simply love meat.

Take advantage of all opportunities to mingle with new groups in the coming solar cycle. You're in a brief period in which the people you meet will awaken fresh interests, as well as become valuable friends.